Ellinashia

Ellinashia

Chapter 1

Alina Willowcreek lived in the village of Oakenville with her parents along with her older sister, Eva and older brother, Mason. Alina always dreamed of adventure. She would imagination places filled with nature and animals outside of her village.

Once when Alina was really young, she wandered in the woods across the meadow near her home. She started to climb one of the trees but her father, Todd found her and brought her down “Never come into the forest again, Alina, especially by yourself. It’s too dangerous.” Her father told her as they start to head home. “You don’t want to know what’s on the other side.”

Years later when Alina became a teenager, she learned combat skills with her father and brother such as practice on fighting and using weapons. During school, she made friends with a boy her age named Geran. She even had a job after school working as a farm girl for her neighbors along with Geran. Alina would discuss that she wanted adventure while Geran discussed that he wanted to be a sorcerer. Alina was getting tired and bored of living in the same home and never going outside the village.

One day after school, she went through the storage unit of her home to get out some of her weapons. Alina then noticed something glowing in a box that was on top of a shelf. She opened it and there was a glowing flash inside that turned out to be a quartz crystal necklace. When she took it out, the crystal was pointing it’s light to the direction of the forest. She followed the light and stepped into the woods without anyone noticing. To get a better look, Alina climbed up on one of the big trees.

When Alina stood on a big branch of the tree, she spotted the sea on the other side. Then she notice something afloat in the fog. An island? She thought. Behind the water was a wall made of stone. She climbed down from her tree to check the wall. Alina then noticed an entrance through the wall like a cave. She walked through the other side of the tunnel outside it was of series of large rocks as though it were a bridge. Across from it was the mysterious island figure she spotted.

Alina didn’t have the time. She ran back home before anyone knew she was gone. The next day after coming home, Alina asked her father about the forest “Dad, what exactly is on the other side of the forest?” Todd turned towards her “Why?” He asked. “Just a thought.” Alina shrugged. The rest of the family looked at her. Then Alina showed the crystal to her parents “Did this by any chance belong to Mom? They stood stunned. “Where did you get that?” Todd said in shock. “I somehow found it in the storage unit. I opened the boxed and that was when it started to glow.” Alina looked at her parents. “You went into the forest?” Todd said “I-I just followed where the light was pointing to.” Alina explained as she handed the gem to her father. “But I didn’t go any further.” That was when Todd reminded her to never go in there no matter what. “But Dad, nothing happened. I mean, are you saying it’s that island across the opposite side of the forest that’s forbidden?”

“She knows about it!” As their mother gasped. “About what?” Eva looked her sister. “What did you find, Alina?” Mason whispered to his sister. “Just some gem that pointed a light to the forest.” She answered.

Todd then looked at Alina “I want you to forget about what you saw. It was never there.” Alina and her father then started to argue “What do you know about it, Dad?” “Why was the crystal’s light pointing towards that island?” “I asked you to stop asking about it, Alina!” Todd pointed out “If you’re going to keep looking for trouble, then you’re not able to look out for yourself” He added as he put the crystal back in the box.

Alina ran into her room with frustration and sat on the roof next to her window. Suddenly, a light appeared in a fair distance as thought it was coming from the ground from behind the forest. Alina realized that it had to be from where the crystal’s light was pointing to; the island she witnessed from there. The light had the same beam coming from the crystal when she found it.

That was when Alina ran down to inform her parents “Mom! Dad!” she cried as she yelled down the stairs. “The woods! There’s a big light coming from behind there! Just like from your crystal!” Alina pointed it them as her sibling came out to look as well. Todd and Abigail knew what was going on. “It doesn’t mean anything!” Todd said “Don’t forget about what I said.” He looked at Alina.

That night when everyone was in bed, Alina woke up at the first light of dawn. She looked out her window and saw the light from the far distance. She couldn’t stop thinking that it had to be something important had to be done.

Chapter 2

Alina took the crystal off the high shelf where her parents put it and decided to run back into the forest to find where it leads to. She followed the light to the forest, right back to the tunnel and the stream of rocks where across from it looked like an island covered in the mist. She walked through the tunnel and on the other side was the edge of the rest of the forest cut off. To get a closer view of what she saw on the other side, Alina jumped on the big rocks that were like a bridge. When Alina hopped onto the edge, she realized it was the rest of the forest she ran into, but that wasn’t all that was there…

Alina stepped foot outside the other half and saw a world full of everything she could ever imagine. It was an island full of nature that had grassy hills, high mountains, beautiful, healthy trees, and waterfalls with rivers as crystal clear blue.

Alina was stunned by the look of the hiding place, it had everything she always wanted to see. Then she noticed the light her crystal was pointing to. “There it is!” Telling herself. She walked down to the nearest river, but suddenly there was a noise in the bushes. Alina turned around immediately with a changed awkward face. She then grabbed a large stick near a tree it and held it in a fighting position.

In just a second, a wolf with blue fur jumped out of the bushes charging towards Alina. She tried her best to stand her ground, as she hardly screamed and backed up enough to make her fall to the ground. Just as the wolf got closer to Alina with snarling, it suddenly changed to laughter. “I got you, didn’t I?” The wolf chuckled. “You really thought I was gonna bite you!” Alina’s face turned to surprise and confusing “T-t-talking wolf?!” She tried taking her time to stand back up with her stick in her hand, looking at the wolf with fur the color of a clear, blue river. “What? you’ve never seen a talking wolf before?” The wolf asked. “Uhhh….no.”

Alina tired to claim her nerves. “What is this place?” She said looking around. The wolf could scent she wasn’t from the island she stumbled on to. “You’re not from here! Where did you…?” He said in shocked “Look, I don’t know what’s going on.” Alina tried to explain “I was in my village, I noticed a big light coming from this direction, so I wandered into the forest, then I came across a tunnel that led me to a path-.” The wolf then noticed the crystal necklace Alina was wearing. “Wait! Your necklace.” He came up close enough to sniffed it. “The light” He turned to it. “But that means…I think I know why you’re here in Ellinashia” He looked up at Alina. “And why the Willow Tree’s light came up. Come with me.” “Does this mean I’m on a quest?” Alina grabbed her stick and used it for a walking staff while fellowing him. “It means something started to happened when that light beam came up. I’ll explain on the way. By the way, my name’s River.” The wolf mentioned “Oh! I’m Alina. What’s this place called again?” She said “Ellinashia” River responded. “Ellinashia” She repeated.

So where exactly are we going?” Alina walked behind River. “To where the light is. Let’s say something important has to be done.” River answered. “If it’s an adventure, then count me in. It would also include accomplishing something important.” Alina said in delight. “And Alina…” River turned to her “Try to hide that crystal. We really don’t want it to show too often. I have scent of it’s power. Just keep it hidden for now.” Alina took the crystal off around her neck and stuffed it in her pocket. If this stone had a big light coming from it, then it must be magic Alina thought to herself.